Archives For missions

I have been reading off and on The Weapon of Prayer by E.M. Bounds. This book, along with Bounds other works, The Power of Prayer and Purpose in Prayer, have greatly influenced my focus and understanding of prayer. E.M. Bounds constantly references Bible passages and Biblical characters to illustrate his thoughts on prayer, but he also mentions several modern examples as well. One of the men he mentions is David Brainerd. The man, David Brainerd, has impacted my fervor for prayer in immense ways and it is good to know that I was not the only one. Countless men have directly attributed Brainerd to their outlook on missions, dedication to prayer, and devotion for God. In fact, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley and William Carey were all directly influenced by David Brainerd’s life and ministry.

Dr. A. J. Gordon speaks thus of Brainerd

In passing through Northampton, Mass., I went into the old cemetery, swept off the snow that lay on the top of the slab, and I read these simple words: “Sacred to the memory of David Brainerd, the faithful and devoted missionary to the Susquehanna, Delaware and Stockbridge Indians of America, who died in this town, October 8th, 1717.”

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Now this man prayed in secret in the forest. A little while afterward, William Carey read his life, and by its impulse he went to India. Payson read it as a young man, over twenty years old, and he said that he had never been so impressed by anything in his life by the story of Brainerd. Murray McCheyne read it and he likewise was impressed by it.

But all I care is simply to enforce this thought, that the hidden life, a life whose days are spent in communion with God, in trying to reach the source of power, is the life that moves the world.

Like this:

Reading through the New Testament, it’s not surprising to read that Jesus’s followers were focused on making disciples—it makes sense in light of Jesus’s ministry and the Great Commission. The surprise comes when we look at our churches today in light of Jesus’s command to make disciples.
Why is it that we see so little disciple making taking place in the church today? Do we really believe that Jesus told His early followers to make disciples but wants the twenty-first-century church to do something different? None of us would claim to believe this, but somehow we have created a church culture where the paid ministers do the “ministry,” and the rest of us show up, put some money in the plate, and leave feeling inspired or “fed.” We have moved so far away from Jesus’s command that many Christians don’t have a frame of reference for what disciple making looks like.

Isaiah 50:10 – Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

Africa used to be the Dark Continent in light of the absence of a gospel presence and any knowledge of the continents interior. Now, we see places around the corner in our very own neighborhoods that are dark and without light of the truth. I pray the Lord will use us to reach the dark places of Micronesia.

Isaiah 51:!5 – I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord of hosts is his name.

On this trip we will be travelling to a few Islands via boat. I do not know if Jamie and I will get seasick or not but the power to calm the ocean waves is the God we serve.

Isaiah 52:7-10 – How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

8 The voice of your watchmen–they lift up their voice together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion;

9 Break forth together into singing you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Follow the colors and bold type font to link the challenges from God’s Word.

Romans 10:14,15- How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Are my feet beautiful in the sense that they are worthy of beautifying my Savior? Certainly not in my eyes. However, because of Jesus’ precious blood shed for me, my feet are made beautiful in God’s sight. I am now worthy to walk down the way of Salvation and told to lead others down the way of life by following the footsteps of Jesus.

10 The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations

This is the only verse in the Bible that mentions this concept of God making his holy arm bare. This phrase means freeing the arm of any constraint or constricting movement caused by clothing. This was done by warriors when entering battle or someone who was ready to get to work and be free to move. God has a battle plan and is ready to enact his plan throughout all the nations and even to the ends of the earth.

Isaiah 49:6 – …I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

How, limited is our view. We support our tunnel vision when we ignore the God’s global vision. We forget his work around the world. God is working in your neighborhood, in your town, in your city, in your state, in your country, in your continent, and in your world. We limit God when we forget to consider His power to reach “all nations” with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I hope to be a small part of that work that no false religion, worldview, person, or thing can stop.

Isaiah 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

The Creator of the ends of the earth – The phrase, ‘the ends of the earth,’ means the same as the earth itself. The earth is sometimes spoken of as a vast plain having limits or boundaries (see Isa 40:22). It is probable that this was the prevailing idea among the ancients (compare Deu 33:17; 1Sa 2:10; Psa 19:6; Psa 22:27; Psa 48:10; Psa 65:5; Psa 67:7; Psa 98:3; Isa 43:6; Isa 45:22; Isa52:10). The argument here is, that he who has formed the earth could not be exhausted or weary in so small a work as that of protecting his people.

Jamie and me are honored to go on a mission trip to Chuuk, Micronesia this summer from July 2-July 18. I will be posting our support letter soon but until then please read this support from my former pastor and friend Bob Emberley via Facebook.

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I see that Jordan has 1,154 FB friends. Now I know that there is a measure of difference between “FB friends” and “friend friends;” notwithstanding that chasm here’s is my proposal and the simple arithmetic that can make my proposal a reality. My friends, Jordan and Jamie, are traveling with Grace Dental and Medical Mission (full disclosure – I am on the board of GDMM) to Chuuk, Micronesia (more disclosure and probably more info. than you need – my daughter Rachel’s fiance lives on Chuuk, currently a student at NIU). Cut to the chase, J & J need to raise $6,000.00 for this mission trip. So I am contributing 1% of their support (that’s $60 for those who are mathematically challenged) . . . here’s where the “FB friend” thing comes into play. We need 100 people to give 1% ($60) and J&J are good to go. So how ’bout it?